Vision Aid Overseas

VAO Vision, Mission & Objectives

“Our Vision Vision Aid Overseas works for a world in which everyone has access to eye care and spectacles. “

VAO Vision, Mission & Objectives “Our Mission Vision Aid Overseas fights poverty by transforming access to eye care for people in developing countries by utilising the expertise of volunteers to establish Vision Centres, train eye care workers and develop primary eye care services.”

VAO Vision, Mission & Objectives “Our Objects The charity’s objects are defined in the Memorandum of Association as: “the preservation and protection of eye health and treatment of eye defects among poor persons overseas, in particular by providing or assisting in the provision of optometric and optical eye services, eye surgery and other related facilities.”

Vision Aid Overseas Some Key Facts......

Vision Aid Overseas 10% (670 million) of the world’s population are visually impaired because of uncorrected refractive error.

Vision Aid Overseas Over half a billion (8% of the world’s population /77% of the total number of those who are visually impaired) are presbyopic and can easily be treated with reading glasses.

Vision Aid Overseas 13 million children around the world need glasses. Many of these children risk missing their education because they can’t see well enough to learn.

Vision Aid Overseas Women account for two-thirds (447 million / 7% of the world’s population) of the people who are visually impaired because they cannot get the glasses they need.

Vision Aid Overseas 90% of people who are visually impaired due to uncorrected refractive errors live in developing countries.

Vision Aid Overseas The main reasons people cannot get glasses in developing countries are: a lack of trained eye care professionals; inadequate facilities to get an eye test and to manufacture glasses; and because the high cost of glasses if often too expensive for the average citizen.

Vision Aid Overseas Uncorrected refractive error can hinder education, career opportunities and cause an economic burden on society.

Vision Aid Overseas About Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) Fighting Poverty by Transforming Access to Eye Care

Vision Aid Overseas Vision Aid Overseas is a UK-based NGO (non- governmental organisation) focusing on fighting poverty by transforming access to eye care services in developing countries. Vision Aid Overseas was founded in Since its foundation, VAO has helped over 1 million patients by gaining access to eye care services.

Vision Aid Overseas Botswana Burkina Faso Ethiopia Ghana Malawi Sierra Leone Uganda Zambia Where do VAO work?

Vision Aid Overseas Community outreach services run by Optometrist and Dispensing Opticians, often in very remote areas where it can be their only hope of accessing any optical services. What VAO do? By working with local hospitals, eye exams can also identify patients with more complex eye problems that can be referred on to them for further treatment. Help areas to become more self-sufficient in eye care services by providing training for doctors, nurses, ophthalmic clinical officers and technicians. By working with local hospitals, eye exams can also identify patients with more complex eye problems that can be referred on to them for further treatment.

Vision Aid Overseas Vision Aid Overseas is committed to establishing locally based eye care services in every country in which they operate. One major contribution is the development of Vision Centres where patients can receive a walk-in eye examination, purchase an affordable pair of glasses and be referred for further specialist care if necessary. To operate effectively, Vision Centres must have trained personnel, facilities for eye tests and an optical laboratory where glasses can be glazed. What VAO do?

Vision Aid Overseas VAO has a duty to ensure that Vision Centres operate at a high standard by sending volunteers to service the equipment and ensure ongoing training for local personnel. Ultimately, Vision Centres should become entirely self-sufficient and provide long lasting access to eye care for their local communities. What VAO do?

Vision Aid Overseas This ranges from teaching clinical skills to student optometrists and refractionists to providing practical training for dispensing opticians and glaziers in how to manufacture glasses. Sustainability is also central to all education and training. For example, VAO ensures that the management skills required to run Vision Centres are a central part of the courses. Ongoing training is essential for developing eye care skills to identify trainers who can pass on skills to others. What VAO do? Help areas to become more self-sufficient in eye care services by providing training for doctors, nurses, ophthalmic clinical officers and technicians.

Vision Aid Overseas The VAO aim is to establish and support 18 Vision Centres by 2015 to provide access to eye care for six million people. What VAO do?

Vision Aid Overseas VAO also work in collaboration with a large number of other organisations including Sightsavers, ORBIS International, Moorfields Eye Hospital and the Ministries of Health in our partner countries. What VAO do?

Vision Aid Overseas Developed Vision Centres providing access to eye care for 3.3m people in local districts Three Year Highlights April March 2012

Vision Aid Overseas Directly examined 110,719 patients and dispensed 76,635 spectacles through our Vision Centres and the provision of primary eye health services. Three Year Highlights April March 2012

Vision Aid Overseas Established and supported 11 Vision Centres Three Year Highlights April March 2012 Established supply chains and distribution mechanisms for spectacle lenses, frames and ready readers Worked with four universities providing optometry courses

Vision Aid Overseas Sent 357 volunteers on international programmes Three Year Highlights April March 2012 Provided 24,982 hours of training to 401 healthcare workers and students

Vision Aid Overseas Uganda My personal experiences with VAO. Zambia Ethiopia

Vision Aid Overseas Uganda My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Uganda My personal experiences with VAO.

Uganda My personal experiences with VAO.

Uganda My personal experiences with VAO.

Uganda

My personal experiences with VAO.

Uganda My personal experiences with VAO.

Uganda But it's not all just hard work....

Vision Aid Overseas Zambia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas

Zambia

My personal experiences with VAO.

Zambia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Some journeys can be a little treacherous!

Vision Aid Overseas...but also some beautiful landscapes.

Vision Aid Overseas

Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Ethiopia-Available eyecare That's 955,555 people per optometrist. Prior to 2005, there were no optometry courses being offered. There are 90 registered optometrists and 80 ophthalmologists in the country. Ethiopia has a population of 86 million. VAO has been involved in eye care in Ethiopia since 2001 and to date has provided training for over 50 ophthalmic clinical officers as well as supporting two BSc Optometry courses at Gondar and Hawassa universities.

Vision Aid Overseas Ethiopia My personal experiences with VAO.

Vision Aid Overseas Recycle unwanted spectacles in your practice How you can get involved? Donate Raise awareness-leaflets/posters etc Volunteer Fundraise- collection tins, events

Vision Aid Overseas

Learn new skills Why Volunteer? Meet new people Experience working in a different country Potentially transform hundreds of lives.

Vision Aid Overseas Become a member How to Volunteer? Volunteer development programme. Fill out some forms Register on the volunteers list Wait!